Our picks for Thanksgiving wines - NJ Life Mag

http://www.newjerseylife.com/dining/index.aspx?pageID=944

got another nice mention in NJ Life's online mag, featuring our pix for Turkey Day wines. Click on link above or read on...



With so much focus on the food, sometimes the wines served at Thanksgiving can be almost an afterthought, but the right bottle can make the meal. Not sure what to bring to the table this year? Mark Censits, owner of Cool Vines in Princeton and Westfield, has suggestions for both modern and traditional feasts.

Traditional Reds:

Domaine Gabriel Billard Millaine 2006
Style: Light Bodied
Grapes: Pinot Noir
Region: Burgundy
The vines that produce this wine are over 50 years old, but instead of calling it an old vines wine, Laurence Jobard named it after her grandmother, Emily Anne. That's respect, Burgundy style. The wine fits Laurence's style ind is terroir driven.
Price: $26/bottle, $23.40/bottle for a case




Triembaumer Blaufrankisch 2007
Style: medium-bodied
Grapes: Blaufrankisch
Region: Austria
The microclimate of this winery is characterized by Austria's longest hours of sunlight, high humidity, and moderate temperatures. Blaufrnkisch, a late-ripening variety, gives red wines which are typically rich in tannin and may exhibit a pronounced spicy, masculine character.
Price: $18/bottle, $16.20/bottle for a case



Traditional Whites:

Dom Jouard Chass-Mont 1er Cru "Les Baudines" 2005
Style: Full Bodied
Grapes: Chardonnay
Region: Chassagne-Montrachet, Burgundy
Paul Jouard represents the sixth-generation of winemakers of a 125,000-square-yard estate. The premier cru wine comes from forty-year-old vines. Along with a mineral character that is intense and complex, a delicate yet pronounced fruit character is found in this "Les Baudines" wine.
Price: $66/bottle, $59.40/bottle for a case



Aquila del Torre Riesling 2006
Style: Light Bodied
Grapes: Riesling
Region: Colli Orientali del Friuli, Italy
Aquila del Torre expresses the true elegance and complexity of the famed Colli Orientali. Michele Ciani's attention is focused on the production of expressive wines of the territory through the respectful management of the vines and surrounding environment.
Price: $21/bottle, $18.90/bottle for a case





Modern Reds:



Rusina Dry Creek Zinfandel 2005
Style: Full Bodied
Grapes: Zinfandel and Petite Sirah
Region: Dry Creek, CA
92% Zinfandel from the hilltop of the Stefani vineyard located on Canyon Rd. near Geyserville in the Dry Creek Valley, the small addition of Petite Sirah adds brown spice and structure to the wine.
Price: $29.50/bottle, $26.55/bottle for a case

Pikes the Red Mullet 2006
Style: Medium Bodied
Grapes: Shiraz and Grenache
Region: Clare Valley, Australia
Red Mullet is a classic "kitchen sink" blend. With the grapes and percentage changing every year, it gives them the flexibility to produce a great wine every vintage.
Price: $12/bottle, $10.80/bottle for a case


Modern Whites:

Bethel Heights Chardonnay Estate 2004
Style: Full Bodied
Grapes: Chardonnay
Region: Willamete Valley, OR
Sustainably-grown Chardonnay from family-owned winery Bethel Heights; this blend of old and new world Chard clones shows off its age elegantly. Notes of warm apple pie and ginger rise off the ample nose.
Price: $22/bottle, $19.80/bottle for a case


Batterieberg Detonation Riesling 2006
Style: Light Bodied, Off-Dry
Grapes: Riesling
Housed in a 1,000-year-old castle, the estate of Batterieberg takes its name from its vineyard that was created in the mid-19th century by blasting away a mountainside with dynamite. Crisp acid with an off-dry palate, this wine goes well with spicy foods or just by the glass.
Price: $12/bottle, $10.80/bottle for a case